Finally Pushing Back Against the Brush

What with all the rain and the constant mowing this Summer the sections around the barn where I only had the fencing half finished got very over grown. I just couldn't keep up with all the mowing and trimming and it wasn't ready for the sheep to be let out in it yet. The crossroads paddock was the worst hit with explosive weed growth so today's job was to get some paths cut through the stuff so I can let Frazier our ram out in there and finish the fencing.

As I have explained I need to move Frazier into this paddock temporarily to finish his paddock up then transfer him back. This causes some logistical problems in that I also have to move the useless nag horses water trough and make access so it can be filled that is outside the fence. Then I will finish the Northern section of fence for the control paddock to allow the ram access to the barn while I finish up the fence around his paddock and build him his own shelter. I can't leave him with no where to get out of the weather.

Once complete this crossroads or control paddock will be great and allow access to two new grazing pastures and the useless nag pasture plus allow me to let the ram out from time to time but of course it requires some careful moving because, well Frazier likes to play rough and so no one can go out with him.

First I had to cut a path down to Frazier's temporary gate.

Then cut a path around the outside to move the horses useless nag's water tank.

As a bonus I found a chicken nest hidden in the brush that contained about a dozen eggs. At least I know where to check every day now.

All I need to do now is let the horses useless nags drink their tank down enough to move it tomorrow and then I can let Frazier out in here and hopefully begin working on the fence again Sunday.

The grass hasn't really grown since the last mowing so I think I am safely done with that hell now for the year. At this point it shouldn't grow enough to look bad and we should be getting a frost soon that will kill it back regardless. Won't make much difference now come Spring anyway.

To show you how much rain we got I found this forgotten water tub in the brush and here it is October and it is still full of rain water.

Finding anything like that full of water by the end of July is almost impossible around here usually let alone come October. Once the dry season sets in. Since we just skipped the entire dry season though I guess this forgotten water tank was breeding mosquitoes all Summer. I had forgotten it was out there and the weeds grew up around it so tall I didn't see it until I was cutting paths today.

One of the real drawbacks from living on such fertile soil. It grows stuff great especially weeds when you don't have time to keep them under control.

Now that the hay field is cut the sheep really like to spread out and graze. They can have the hay field for another couple of weeks then it will be time to split em up into their breeding groups, non-breeding but keeping group, and the dreaded market group. After which the horses useless nags will get to use the hay field for the rest of the Winter while I use what's left of the Fall to clean out the barn and run the manure spreader through the hay field.

My newest side project in case it rains now is to get this Hay elevator working and install it inside the barn somehow.

I think I found a motor I can buy that will work on it but I am also thinking the chain is on it backwards for how I want to install it in the barn. I want to permanently mount it from the rafters so all I need to do it drop it down and it will be out of the way and inside out of the weather all the time. It's going to take some measuring and I guess buying the motor though before I know for sure. Guess it will make a nice rainy day project for this Fall and Early Winter.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!